The Firm of Adamson & Ronaldson started in 1888 a service
between Antwerp and Boston and being the London loading brokers for Christopher
Furness since 1882, they chartered the necessary tonnage from Furness.
J.W. Adamson retired in the first half of 1888 and the firm became Thomass
Ronaldson & Company and continued to act as loading brokers for Christopher
Furness.
In 1894 Thomas Ronaldson & Company bought their first ship the NORSE
KING and also in 1896 the BELGIAN KING (formerly Chateau Leoville of
Compagnie
Bordelaise)
was chartered from G.B. Hunter of Sunderland. Also the CYPRUS from Taylor & Sanderson
of Sunderland was chartered between 1896 and 1898.
In 1896 the new building the
SCOTTISH KING joined the fleet but had a short life being lost in 1898.
The NORSE
KING was sold to the American Government in1898 during the Spanish American War.
To fill the lost tonnage three ships were acquired in 1898 the ENGLISH KING (
ex- Osborne), FITZCLARENCE and CAMBRIAN KING (ex- Ullapool).
Three more purchases
were made in 1900; the CYNTHIANA, later renamed SAXON KING from British Maritime
Trust, STORM KING and FLORENCE.

The Puritan Line built up an extensive cargo
and emigrant service to Baltimore and Boston but was unable to stand the strain
of a short lived rate war and the remaining ships were disposed of in 1903
and 1904 while the BELGIAN KING was returned to G.B. Hunter and the Puritan
Line
was closed down.

Many thanks to Henk Jungerius and Ted Finch for their assistance
in collecting this data. The following list was extracted from various
sources. This is not an all inclusive list but should only be used
as a guide. If you would like to know more about a vessel, visit the Ship
Descriptions (onsite) or Immigrant
Shipweb site.

Routes:

Antwerp-Boston- Baltimore

Funnel & Flag:Red with black top.

Fleet:

Vessel

Built

Years in Service

Tons

Belgian King

1881

built by Sunderland Shipbuilding Co.Ltd, Sunderland
| ex- Chateau Leoville built for Compagnie
Bordelaise de Navigation a Vapeur, 1888 sold to Bossiere not
renamed, then resold to R. Hudson, Sunderland, renamed Connemara,
1895 sold to G. B. Hunter renamed Belgian King, 1896 chartered by
Puritan Line, 1904 returned to G.B. Hunter, 21 September 1914 foundered.

built by Short Bros. Ltd., Sunderland | ex- Florence,
1900 purchased from E.R. Gourlay, Sunderland, 1902 sold to Furness
Withy & Co. not renamed, 20 December 1912 Wrecked at Marine Cove,
St. Marys Bay on voyage from Halifax, N.S. to Liverpool with the
loss of 22 lives.

2,492

Norse King

1890

built by Sir J. Laing & Sons Ltd, Sunderland | ex-
Norse King, 1894 purchased from Ross Line not renamed, 1898 sold
to US Government renamed Rainbow, 1928 scrapped.

built by Short Bros. Ltd., Sunderland | 7 October
1898 stranded near Cape Clear abandoned by owner, salvaged repaired
sold renamed Aboukir for Clydesdale Shipowners Ltd, Glasgow. 8 September
1909 sunk in collision with steamer WHITE CROSS in River Plate.